Out the Window and Through the Tunnel
by Ethidda
Summary: [HakuChihiro] completerevised Even in highschool, Chihiro remembers the memorydream and wishes for Haku to be there with her. Then, Chihiro meets a Haku in her highschool, but is he the one from her memories?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  
And there are spoilers.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Prologue

  
  
_Chihiro was riding on a dragon - Haku. The wind whipped past her, carrying her hair, her worries, and herself atop of Haku. Holding on to his horns, she slowly started to remember the time when she was small: The slipper. The fall. And the river that carried her to the shallow end when she thought she drowned.   
  
She told Haku, leaned forward and whispered in his ear against all that wind, and she gave him back his name.   
  
The Kohaku River.   
  
But then it was time to choose which pigs were her parents. And time to leave...   
  
"Will we meet again?"   
  
"I'm sure we will."   
  
And Chihiro felt Haku's hand stretch out.  She knew that he was trying to hold on to her even though he knew he should let get, and that he couldn't. Chihiro didn't look back, couldn't look back. She belonged in the 'real' world, a world where spirits didn't exist.   
  
It was back at the tunnel.   
  
"Chihiro, where have you been?"   
  
"You shouldn't just run off like that. We were worried."   
  
A little voice in Chihiro wanted to shout out, but she restrained it. Instead, Chihiro bit her lips and said sorry. Chihiro was worried too, when her parents went off wondering. _  
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
"Sen, Sen!" Mitsuki whispered into Chihiro's ear. "Sen, the teacher is talking, you have to pay attention! He said that this is going on the test!"   
  
Mitsuki had been Chihiro's best friend since she moved here in second grade. And she insisted that Sen was a nice nickname. Chihiro didn't mind, it would remind her every now and then of that Other World. And of Haku.   
  
And life went on.  
  
Only problem is, she is already in high school. And still a klutz, but Misaki insisted that guys didn't mind that. Mitsuki stated, confidently, that as long as Sen cared for him, was true to him, and gave him a little mushiness to chew on every now and then, then they would be happy. Chihiro just smiled, not wanting to tell Misaki that she was, in fact, in love already.   
  
"Sen!"   
  
Chihiro sat up, startled. Then, she took a look around the classroom and slumped back down into her desk. "Mi-cchan! You scared me!" She whispered back.   
  
Mitsuki simply glared at Chihiro. "Well, you were the one staring out the window. Listen, we have a field trip tomorrow!"   
  
Chihiro complied to listening. There weren't that many places to go in the town. There wasn't even a museum or movie theater.   
  
The teacher droned on, explaining, "...the tunnel at the end of the trail. It is made of wood and painted red and it looks fairly new. There are statues of spirits around there to make it clear that it was a shrine. The place is mostly deserted. So, everybody stay together and don't get lost.   
  
"And everybody has to fill out this permission slip." So saying, he went around and passed everybody slips of paper that declared that the school is not responsible for anything that happens and that the parents know where the kids are on that day.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
  
What box do you get put in?  
brought to you by Quizilla  
  

  



	2. The Beginning of the Wanderings of the H...

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


The Beginning of the Wanderings of the Heart

  
  
Chihiro trudged through the grass with the rest of the class. The trail was hardly there anymore, but if one looked closely, one would still be able to find that little trail of two wheel tracks. And one would be able to recognize the statue somewhere inside the forest that told you that you were almost at the tunnel.   
  
She looked around, oblivious to all the chatter around her. Now, the memory-dreams welled up inside her just as her tears did, and they threatened to overtake her more than ever before. She wanted to stretch out her arms to the sky and yell out Haku's name. Or run, straight through the tunnel and across the meadow, the river, into the 'deserted' town, and stay there until the long summer day is over. To stay and meet all the spirits. Even if Haku wasn't there, maybe she could at least meet Rin, and the Boh, and Zeniba, and no-face, and Kamajii, and all those little black fuzzy things...   
  
But the class was not about to go through the tunnel. They stayed outside, as the teacher explained the superstitions of the olden days, of how they believed that people who crossed the tunnel never returned because the people were taken as sacrifice for the spirits.   
  
And he explained how it was probably just an old theme park.   
  
Just like how her father explained it.  Her father was wrong.  She wandered through the tunnel and met Haku.  
  
Chihiro felt the secret parts of her memories and wishes in her heart digged up and turned over and over again. And those dreams played over and over in her head of what she would say if she met Haku again. Of the ten thousand and one different ways she might meet him, and the twenty thousand and two ways that he might tell her that she shouldn't stay there, shouldn't be there, with him.   
  
Chihiro stared at the ground. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Hastily, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and took a step forward in an attempt to keep up with the rest of the class. And tripped.   
  
Mitsuki helped her up. "Are you ok?" Then, as Mitsuki noticed Chihiro's tears. Mitsuki asked more tentatively, "What happened?"  
  
Chihiro stood up and smiled to her best friend. Shaking her head, she said, "Nothing, it just really hurt to trip and fall on branches and stuff."   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
The class shuffled through the dust covered halls of the tunnel, passing through the room with the benches and windows. Chihiro could feel herself getting tense, excited, nervous, and all those emotions other than calm passing through her. There really was no point, she knew, since school ends way before sunset, especially on a long summer day.   
  
They came out through the clearing. There was a clearing? Chihiro couldn't remember everything of those times, but they were all tucked away in her mind.  The memories were old and fragile and torn. Not really anything whole, just a feeling, a wisp of wind, or a smile.   
  
She turned to look at the steps of stair cases that lead up from the stream. That's right! There was a stream. And past that was the town. And the boat. Silently, she followed her classmates.   
  
Mitsuki nudged her. "Sen!"   
  
Chihiro jumped. "Haku?"   
  
"Haku? Sen, who's Haku?" Seeing that she'd have to question Chihiro later, she continued. "Sen, the teacher is asking a question - and you wouldn't be able to answer it if you weren't listening yesterday." Mitsuki sighed. It was a lose lose situation for Sen.   
  
"... So, Ogino-san," Sen noticed that the teacher was indeed addressing her with the question. "Do you remember what was said to be the boundary between the two worlds?"   
  
Sen paused. It was the boundary. It was always the boundary that wouldn't let her be with Haku, or Rin, or Kamajii, or any friends that she had made in the world she wasn't supposed to be in.   
  
The teacher thought that Sen didn't know. "We talked about it yesterday."   
  
Sen replied this time. "It's the river," she said, retrieving that fraction of the memory. "The meadow between the tunnel and stairs was covered with water at nightfall, and then that was the boundary between the two worlds. Then, there'd be lights everywhere, and spirits awakening..." Sen trailed off, realizing that she had done more than enough to answer the question.  
  
No, she didn't want everything exposed, prodded. She didn't want the memories taken out her mind and washed and rinsed and dried, and all over again until the inspectors decided on a way to piece them together, in a way that they weren't meant to be put together. She didn't want to be telling tales like a story teller, and then eventually believe, herself, that all she told was story. No, she didn't want to stretch it into a tall tale, like a piece of clothing washed too often. Surely, the bathhouse was big, but it was probably due to her own lack of height. Didn't Rin say something about her being tiny?   
  
The class had arrived at the empty town by now, and they quieted down as the teacher explained the next part of the field trip to them. "For the next part, you will go and 'explore' this town by yourselves. Be careful and don't touch anything because none of this belongs to the school or our town. And be back by two thirty. Otherwise, we are leaving you for the spirits to eat." He winked on the last part. Half of the class pretended to be scared, and the other half laughed. Chihiro just drifted on by herself, leaving Mitsuki to her own devices.   
  
There really was too much here that only Chihiro knows of.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  

  
  



	3. Yet Another One Lost

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Yet Another One Lost

  
  
Chihiro walked to the bridge overlooking the train tracks. She was now tall enough to look down without leaning forward too much, sticking her head through the rails, or step on one of them.   
  
Of course, no trains passed.   
  
Chihiro knew that none would. After all, it was during the middle of the day, but it didn't hurt to try, did it?   
  
She stood up, ignoring the question she just asked herself. Turning around, she saw the bathhouse, empty and calm, just like that early morning when she went with Haku to see her parents.   
  
Haku.   
  
She had half expected him to be there, to shoo her away, and to tell her that it wasn't safe. She half wanted him to be there, to do all those things. Then, at least she got to see him again.   
  
But of course he wasn't there. The sun shined brightly down onto the wooden planks of the bridge, and there was no danger. Besides, Haku had stopped being Yubaba's apprentice once he remembered his name - once she reminded him of his name.   
  
It didn't matter. He was free, to go wherever he wanted. And there was no way for Chihiro to know where he went. So, did she make him leave?   
  
Chihiro whacked herself on her head. She didn't want to chain Haku down. Really, she didn't, but she wanted to know, wanted the comfort of knowing that Haku was always somewhere, and maybe even thinking about her once in a while... but she knew that it was impossible, spirits were spirits and humans were humans - they lived in different worlds.   
  
That, however, would never stop her from thinking.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
She was at the stairs that led down to the water. The place where Haku had forced her to eat the thing similar to a pill. No, 'forced' wasn't the right word. It should've been 'forcefully persuaded'.   
  
Chihiro smiled a little at that. His hand on her shoulder, his face was so close to hers, his reassuring voice.   
  
Chihiro hugged herself a little tighter, went a little deeper into herself, her dream.   
  
His stare, his whispers, his hand holding hers as he lead her to safety. His magic, his gestures, his body protecting hers from the flying bird. His dragon form, his smile, and his parting words that haunted her forever.   
  
_'I'm sure we will meet again.'_   
  
After all, he is a river god, right? Chihiro thought to herself. And a god must keep his promise, right? And so, we will meet again, right?   
  
She knew it wasn't right. She knew that it wasn't 'right' for her to go to the spirits' world in the first place. Of course it wasn't 'right' for her to fall in the river and half drown. But those had happy endings, didn't they?   
  
So, why was she sitting here, sobbing, hoping, wishing for the impossible?   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
A bird squawked, waking Chihiro up. She straightened her back quickly and almost fell forward, off of the steps and into the water. Then, she blinked twice. Chihiro could see some of the sun, with its vibrant colors, and she knew that the other half of the sun lay hidden, beneath the horizon. It was almost sunset.   
  
Suddenly, realization dawned upon her. However, she wasn't about to move. Chihiro considered the possibilities. After all, all of her classmates would have went home already. Maybe they had actually noticed and sent out a search party, but there was such a wide river between the worlds now.   
  
And if she stayed...   
  
If she stayed, she might actually get to meet friends. Rin, Kamajii, and that little baby of Yubaba's...   
  
Chihiro hoped that nobody would worry too much.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: Sorry for the short chapter, and lack of character-ness *looks in the dictionary - nope, definitely not there*... I just couldn't really let myself put Haku or anybody else in the story yet because I haven't picked out which way they actually meet. lol... too many different ways. I promise that she will meet **someone** from the movie next chapter that is not a human, k?  
  
*tip-toes away to her little corner to think* 
  



	4. There is A Good Side to Everything

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


There is a Good Side to Everything

  
  
Chihiro stood up, half tired and half afraid. All the excitement had gone out like a snuffled candle when she realized, fully, what staying here past nightfall meant. At least she was not disappearing. It was probably because of that thing Haku made her eat last time, she decided. Then, maybe she could assume that she didn't 'reek' of human either? But Chihiro couldn't tell what humans smelt like, so all she could do was hope for the best.   
  
Hadn't she always hoped for the best?  
  
The lights were on in the town. Forms made of shadows wavered from this side of the restaurant to the other, preparing for the guests that were about to come. As Chihiro turned a corner, she realized that she was going to the restaurant her parents ate from. People would always go for what was familiar, and not necessarily what was good for them.   
  
Still there. And it still had the big plates piled with food.   
  
Since Chihiro has already been there, she might as well go to the bathhouse. After all, didn't she stay there for some days?  
  
A step, and then another. This time, Chihiro looked around curiously, but her stride remained constant and purposeful. She was going to try meet somebody from her past, or as some refer to it (i.e. her parents), her dream.   
  
Now she could see the bath house glowing, and the people outside bustling around to welcome the customers. She continued forward.   
  
Chihiro looked down at her feet. Last time, she had Haku cover up for her. This time? She hoped that... never mind, she always hoped for something. She just ... didn't want somebody to shoo her out, or turn her into a pig. One foot in front of the other. And the other foot in front of the first.   
  
"Sen! It's Sen!" Chihiro was startled. Then, she looked around. An empty bridge. There was a frog, and Yubaba and Boh. Wasn't this like some other time? Chihiro remembered, the 'stink' spirit.   
  
"Sen!" The one yelling out her name was the 'baby', Boh. He looked like he was a bit more grown up, but still as chubby as ever. And obviously Yubaba stopped treating him like a complete baby as Boh was standing by himself, on his own.   
  
Chihiro stopped and bowed. "Sorry, am I intruding?" Noticing that all commotion had stopped since she came near the bath house, she already knew the answer, but she didn't know what else to say. Wouldn't running away look even more suspicious?   
  
Pause.   
  
Boh wailed his arms and, in an attempt to run, started stomping towards Chihiro. "Sen!"   
  
Chihiro smiled as she gave Boh the hug, and falling down in the process. Yubaba simply stared.  Yubaba had always been after the money.  
  
At that moment, Rin rushed out, with a bowl of rice in each hand. First, she looked at Yubaba, still staring, and then she looked at Boh standing there. It was only after Boh finally let go that Rin saw Chihiro.   
  
Then Rin ran over to Chihiro to greet her as well.  Rin resorted to hugging Chihiro with the bowls of rice still in her hands.  
  
But Rin had to stop in mid sentence when both she and Chihiro finally noticed that Yubaba was staring. "What are you doing here, Sen?"   
  
"Um, well," Chihiro fiddled with her loose shirt. "I thought I'd visit..." she trailed off. What was she doing here? Certainly not to find Haku, he had already left... Then, she remembered what Yubaba did to her parents. "If I'm bothering your business, I'll leave."   
  
Rin started to answer, "Where would you go? You're not going to swim across the river, are-"   
  
"No, you are not 'bothering my business'," Yubaba informed Chihiro, putting emphasis on Chihiro's words. "However, if you are not going to be paying us, then there's no reason for you to be here. Now, shoo before I turn you into a piglet!"   
  
Chihiro realized that Yubaba was being nice, and started to turn around. She'd contemplate about how to get back to her world later, when she had time. Then, Rin told her, "Haku has been here every night, and he should've been here already... Anyway, thought you should know that you don't stink like a human anymore." With that, Rin gave Chihiro a wink. Chihiro forced a smile as she walked away, waving to Rin and Boh. She was given something else to contemplate about.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: This is actually my first fan fiction... so I don't really know all that about the 'do's' and 'don'ts'. I'd be glad for any sort of help that people are willing to offer...   
  
Thanks to **Chibi Moony**, **Kida Greenleaf**, **Blitz Babe**, and **Shaylee fka scifisarah** for helping with the names. ^^ 
  



	5. Did You Notice Me?

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Did You Notice Me?

  
  
He was a dragon, flying, his aqua whiskers and mane floating behind him, and his claws pawing away at the air as if it was tangible. It was supposed to be a short walk, to calm his mind and to release whatever worries he has had to carry for the last... decades? centuries? ?millenniums   
  
No, he was a young river. And the Kohaku river hadn't really disappeared - it had found a channel underground. So now, Haku served drinking water for a couple of the villages that had manage to find him and dig wells.   
  
But he wasn't stressed out about that. It was just that... the bath house held too many memories for him, memories that were different... special... memories that were unlike the ones that seeked him for his water, his help, his power.   
  
He was still Haku, not Kohaku. Kohaku was a name that only he and Chihiro knew of. And 'Haku' reminded him of his times when he worked for Yubaba, and of the times when he worked with 'her'.   
  
Nearing the bath house, he knew he had to transform back into a human. It was so hard. As a dragon, he was able to view the memories as a detached memory, kind of in third person. But in his human form, all the memories would start coming to life, dancing, and he'd be able to remember how Chihiro had calmed because of him, of how they had held hands, of how she had ridden and hugged him in his dragon form.   
  
As a human, all those memories pulled at a trigger in his brain. It made him miss her so badly.   
  
So, maybe he will keep his promise. _I'm sure we will meet again._ He had meant that when she turned into a spirit, decades later, they might meet again before she goes to the place of judgment. But at this rate, he would be forced to go seek her out, no matter how much of his time were spent as a dragon.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
Haku stopped, abruptly, right before the turn onto the bridge. For a moment, he thought he sensed a lost spirit's power right around the corner. But as he neared slowly, he could tell that it was a spirit that lacked an anchor, like how he draws his powers from the river, and all of the spirit's powers were inside the spirit.   
  
That meant that at least the spirit would not be that strong. A good thing if he would ever have to fight it since he was still young, as a spirit. So, Haku rounded the corner and walked to the bathhouse. Then, he noticed the unusual lack of activities that usually went on across the river, mainly of the workers at the bathhouse hoarding in customers.   
  
Yubaba was there. And Boh. And Rin. Something very special must be happening. Rin was smiling and waving. Following her sight, Haku turned and looked.   
  
Chihiro.   
  
He could see her, smiling as Rin was, only with a dose of sadness in her eyes. She hadn't grown much over the years, still short and with a childish body, and clumsy. Then, before he could make a move to greet her, she already left, somehow crossing all the space between the two worlds in an instant.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
_Haku has been here every night, and he should've been here already..._   
  
All the more reason for Chihiro to leave. She turned around for the last time to wave Rin and Boh good bye. And she could tell that he was there, hiding in the shadows.   
  
Why didn't he come to greet me?   
  
Why didn't he come to meet me?   
  
Chihiro never wanted to make Haku feel uncomfortable, but he still had a promise to keep. She didn't want to hear from him that he wouldn't be able to make it. She wished that she was back home so that she didn't have to deal with any of this, despite how much she had wanted to meet Haku again in all the years past.   
  
She turned back around, hoping that Haku didn't notice that she had noticed him.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: Yes, Lin/Rin, the Japanese don't have L and they pronounce L's like R's... but I'll probably change the spelling if enough people complain... ^^ and thnx **so** much for the reviews. ^^   
  
Short chapter, but that's just the way I write. 
  



	6. Wavering Thoughts, Wavering Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Wavering Thoughts, Wavering Heart

  
  
It was still night when Chihiro arrived at her house, her mind a little sluggish on how she had gotten there. She did remember the meeting with Rin, though, and the glimpse of Haku, half hidden behind the building and the other half covered in shadows. But, Chihiro had been sure that it was him, and she knew that he was uneasy too. Was the uneasiness because he knew she was there, or was it because he knew she wouldn't be there? Chihiro hoped it was the latter.   
  
She still wasn't quite sure she had went back. After all, how many years had it been since she left from the dream and how long had she stopped thinking about him. It seemed like forever and none, the two extreme ends of the scale.   
  
But did he love her? Knowing that they shared a bond of friendship was nice, but Chihiro knew that her feelings were more than that. Did she really find her soul mate at the age of ten? Or did she only fall in love with her memory of him, the heroic side of him, the powerful side of him?   
  
No, you didn't, Chihiro told herself, chided herself for her own doubt. Everybody had a way of trying to preserve their dreams. You have seen the weak and violent side of Haku when he was cursed and when you helped him remember his name.   
  
Even if he did love her, does he still love her? Even if he still loves her, wouldn't she cause him pain when she dies? He was a river spirit, and spirits live forever. And before that, are they allowed to love each other? Which world will they stay in?   
  
No, she wasn't a materialistic person, but at high school, she knew that people were made of more than feelings, mere hopes and wishes.  Ideas would never be able to feed a person, and Chihiro knew that well.  
  
So, she turned away. Perhaps she would be mature enough to tell him that she loved him one day, but not today. Maybe after she started to actually grow like most of the other girls in her class. Maybe when she graduated college and could make a living. Maybe when she was sure of their lives.   
  
No, Chihiro wasn't a child anymore. Dreams were nice to encourage you to keep on going, but it was you that needed to keep on going for your dreams.   
  
Her parents were already asleep when she came home.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
The sunlight penetrated through the window forcefully, making sure that Chihiro would be up before noon, even on a Saturday morning, and with a headache. She realized that being out that late last night was not a good idea. Even when she just came back home, somehow crossing the river, she had felt drained. Her headache was her evidence.   
  
Grudgingly, she came out of bed and brushed her teeth and took a shower. Sort of willing her feet to move, she went downstairs and ate her breakfast. She hurried through the process of putting on her shoes and a light jacket as it was nearing winter.   
  
She opened the door and tapped her toes on the floors a couple of times before she left. "I'm leaving," she said to her parents, who were busy getting ready to shop and work. Chihiro was going to meet her friends today, and do something in town, but nobody was sure of that 'something' they were going to do yet. Mitsuki had said they should watch a movie, and Ayame said she wanted to go window shopping. Rika, two years older than Chihiro and a ton more mature, had offered to drive them, but it was decided that taking the bus would be more interesting.   
  
Chihiro could feel that it was going to be an interesting day. She wished Haku could be there with her to enjoy all the earthly joys, but she also knew that the human world would cut him off of his spiritual energy and cause his death, just like how she almost disappeared before Haku gave her that thing to eat so that her body would get used to the spiritual essence of herself as well. She couldn't give food to Haku though, because Haku doesn't have anything materialistic about him. Maybe she could let him draw on her energy, but she didn't know how that would work, or even if it would.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
Chihiro neared the the bus stop they had all agreed to meet at, simply because they would have to take the bus to the next town if they wanted to do anything. Funny, though, there was already somebody else at the bus stop, a person that Chihiro didn't recognize as a person from the town.   
  
He held himself maturely, even though he was quite short, and his eyes shimmered with that childlike innocence. But the deep green eyes held an intensity in them as well, an intensity that was brought out by his long-ish, aqua hair.   
  
"Haku," Chihiro half yelled, half blurted out before she was able to remind herself that Haku did not wear jeans or T-shirt or listen to portable mp3 players.   
  
Too late. The boy snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Chihiro. After a slight pause, he said, "hi."   
  
Chihiro shifted uncomfortably. He was awfully good looking too, and in the way Haku was good looking. As she neared the bus stop, she muttered, under her breath, an apology and how he looked like a friend that she hasn't met in a long time.   
  
"Oh, ok," he said. Chihiro was startled that he had actually heard her. Then, she noticed that he slipped back into his world of music as Chihiro looked around for her friends.   
  
"I am Haku, though," he said abruptly.   
  
"Oh," Chihiro said. Funny how they have the same looks and the same name. Maybe all the spirits had a counter part in the human world, she mused. "I'm Ogino Chihiro, but you can call me Sen." It was also interesting how she felt immediately comfortable with him just because he was like a memory from her dream. But he was totally different. He had coolness and calm where Haku, the dragon, had aggressiveness and passion for what was going on in the world and his part in the world.   
  
Just then, Mitsuki, Ayame, and Rika arrived. They all had the same, suspicious smile on them as they greeted Chihiro and told her that they intended to do something fun, about her love life.   
  
Chihiro was wrapped up in her own thoughts. She desperately wished that she didn't run away from Haku last night. She wished that Haku could know what she was thinking and that he would understand. She wished that she could go into the spirit world and stay there, or that Haku could come and stay here, or something so that they could see each other regularly.   
  
"Sen," Mitsuki yelled into Chihiro's ear. Chihiro jumped visibly. "You were lost in your own thoughts again. Were you thinking about... Ha-..."   
  
"Haku," Chihiro filled in for Mitsuki.   
  
"Yeah, Haku. Were you thinking about him again?"   Chihiro told Mitsuki enough for Mitsuki to figure out that Chihiro had, at least, a crush on this 'Haku'.  
  
Chihiro sighed in defeat.   
  
"Hey, Ayame, Rika, I have a plan," Mitsuki was telling the other two in a huddle excluding Chihiro. "I say we hook Chihiro up with Haku." Seeing the puzzled expressions on their faces, she explained, "This Haku," as she pointed to the boy listening to his mp3 player.   They knew perfectly well that Chihiro could hear them too.  
  
Chihiro's first thought was that is not going to work. Her second was how they learned of his name, and that thought was followed by a feeling of extreme irritation at the fact that her friends had spied on her, again, to see if she was interested in a guy. Well, she did treat him like a friend and already asked him to call her by her nick name.   
  
She thought that she wouldn't mind going out with this Haku, maybe, but a nagging corner of her mind told her that it would not be right to make this Haku think that she liked him when she actually only loved the Haku that could turn into a dragon.   
  
Chihiro also knew that her friends were going to start insisting that they all do something, and then ditch the two of them in the restaurant of movie or wherever they happen to be.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: As for the length, I'm trying to not go over 10 chapters because, well, I just don't like **really** long fan-fics. I'll prolly finish next chap. in a day or two, but I really want to know what you thought of this part.   
  
I also hope that this chapter cleared some of the confusion. If it doesn't... well, you can always ask when submitting a review. And I welcome constructive criticisms. As long as it's backed up by how I can fix it, I will gladly fix it after I finish the story. ^^   
  
Ayame **is** a girl's name (for all of you that watched Fruits Basket). 
  



	7. Perhaps Stolen Forever

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Perhaps Stolen Forever

  
  
Chihiro was right. She did end up with Haku-with-mp3-player in a restaurant - actually, more like a cafe. They had each ordered a light dessert, and were slowly nibbling away at them in silence. Haku looked as if the cake was one of the most inspiring things he had ever tasted, and Chihiro simply cast her eyes downwards, not really sure what kind of conversation would be comfortable for the both of them. Besides, she knew that if she said anything that even hinted of interest, her friends outside spying would make sure that she never heard the end of it unless she and Haku actually started a relationship.   
  
Chihiro looked at Haku. She didn't want to seem unfriendly. "Are you new to this town? I haven't seen you before."   
  
Silence. Chihiro noticed how this Haku's hair had a more stylish trim to it.   
  
Haku looked up from his food. After a pause, he complied to answer, "Actually, my grandma lives here, I just come to visit her occasionally."   
  
"Oh."   
  
Pause. "So, who was this old friend of yours that I looked like?"   
  
Chihiro swirled her half melted ice cream in her plate. "Well, he looks like you..."   
  
Haku nodded.   
  
"... and he's not entirely like you."   
  
Chihiro went back to swirling her ice cream while Haku contemplated on the two pieces of information. Silence had returned to the atmosphere.   
  
Finally, Haku said, "That doesn't really tell me much."   
  
Chihiro sighed, and then smiled. "I haven't seen him in many years. So, really all I have left from him is memories and a promise."   
  
"So, you liked him."   
  
Chihiro shifted her weight so that she could change the position she was sitting. Then, she took a big breath in, as if her voice and her mind would act smoother with this extra dose of oxygen.   
  
"No. I love him." Saying it was special. It made the words real. Chihiro had no idea why she had just confessed her love to this... this random person that she just met a couple of hours ago. But saying it had lifted a weight off of her own shoulders, as if the puzzle would remain forever unsolved if she chose to hold onto her silence.   
  
"I see. But you still complied to come here with me."   
  
"Well, my friends were supposed to come too..." Chihiro dragged off, unsure of how to respond.   
  
"... but you knew they weren't going to. You came anyway." Haku supplied the rest of the story for her. He continued talking, before she could respond, "but I might actually be staying here for a while... because of some family situations."   
  
They fell silent again after that, mainly because Chihiro was unsure of how to respond. She wondered, for a moment, how much he knew of the various situations here. However, she decided that she would have liked to know what he was thinking more. At the bare minimum, she wished she knew what his mood was right now.   
  
She knew he was chuckling inside. At her confusion.   
  
The look of reproach slid onto her face for a split second before it slipped away again. She was supposed to be in a good mood. After all, why spend a Saturday brooding. There was also the fact that she had just pulled a stranger away from whatever he was doing and made him waste his Saturday, never mind that it was actually her friends.   
  
"Want to go see a movie?" Haku-acrossed-the-table asked.   
  
Chihiro sat there, startled. Then, she nodded slowly and gave him a smile. "Sure."   
  
Haku stood up and left quite sum on the table. Then, he walked over to Chihiro and smiled at her as he offered to help her get up.   
  
Chihiro sat there, shocked. Finally, she stood up slowly by taking his hand.   
  
_Just like Haku, always willing to help her, and doing things for her without waiting for her to ask..._   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: Thnx, **Miriel Sakamoto**, for providing the info on Japanese culture. I didn't know that. (obviously. lol.) And I'm kinda too lazy to change it right now. I'll probably find a way to fit it in after I complete the story, though.  
  
And thnx, **Aurani** for pointing out that I messed up with the verb tenses... I think I fixed it, but... ah, well. Also, she was ten in the American movie, but I also have reliable sources that say Chihiro was seven in the Japanese movie. 
  
  



	8. Perhaps Stolen Forever: con'd

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Perhaps Stolen Forever (con'd)

  
  
The modern-Haku was true to his words, Chihiro found out the next day. He planned on staying long enough that he enrolled in her school. He even ended up in the same class as her, and sat next to her in class.   
  
Mitsuki and Rika and Ayame liked him well enough. And when Rika and Ayame's boyfriends found out that the girls were only interested in Haku as a boyfriend for Chihiro, they calmed down enough to start socializing with Haku as well. After all, Haku seemed pretty cool.   
  
Chihiro... Well, she knew that she didn't hate him. But as to liking... That's something she needed to contemplate on. There were many doubts in her head and she could only sort out so many in the little time she found herself left with after all the things she just had to do with Mitsuki and Rika and Ayame. But it always ended up with her and Haku.   
  
It wasn't like Chihiro didn't know what they were thinking. She knew perfectly well that her friends were trying to find her a "somebody" that was more realistic than the dragon-Haku. Usually, she would have declined most requests to spend weekends with her friends after their discovery of a "possible somebody", but Haku was different.   
  
Chihiro shook her head to herself. No, her Haku would always be her Haku, and this Haku was this Haku. And she would never mix them up. Her Haku went with her on a grand adventure and knew her for most of her life while this Haku barely knew anything about her. She didn't know anything about him either.   
  
She tried counting the things she knew about him. Well, she knew he looked like dragon-Haku, but his thoughts and sense of fashion were obviously a lot more modern than dragon-Haku. She felt comfortable around this Haku almost immediately, just like her dragon-Haku, but that just might have been because of the similarities between the two. This Haku was obviously a lot caring about her than her dragon-Haku considering that he always complied to go places with her.  But, this Haku was calmer than dragon-Haku...   
  
Chihiro faltered a little after that. Was it all she did to compare this Haku with her memory-Haku? Still, Chihiro would not pass up a chance to be with this Haku - at least he gave her the illusion that 'he' was with her.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
It was after another one of their usual visits to the cafe after school. Mitsuki had insisted that she needed to meet Chihiro there, and of course Mitsuki never showed up. Instead, Haku was there, and he invited her, so courteously, to sit with him while she waited for Mitsuki to show up.   
  
As usual, Chihiro and Haku chatted about little things like what their favorite subject is, and their favorite teacher. Chihiro asked Haku whether he liked this school or not, and Haku just said it had a different feel to it compared to his other school. But when she tried to ask him what his other school was like, he changed the subject to whether she would like to have pets. Nothing personal, just little tidbits, things that vary from person to person that could have nothing to do with their personality or their past.   
  
"Well, I don't know..." Chihiro confessed. "I guess I would like something nice and soft and warm to hold on to."   
  
Haku raised an eyebrow. "A puppy?"   
  
Chihiro shook her head a little and smiled. "No, not a puppy."   
  
"Not a puppy... a cat, then?"   
  
"Not a cat either..." Chihiro had to smile a little at Haku's perplexed expression. She cut him off before he could give her some more choices. "No, not a parrot or a guinea pig or a mouse or a fish."   
  
Haku paused for a moment. "A horse, then," he said with conviction.   
  
Chihiro thought awhile, sort of weighing the pros and cons in her subconscious mind. "No," she shook her head again and smiled a little sadly. "But you are getting warmer. I would like..."   
  
Haku looked at her, waiting for her to finish her sentence.   
  
"...a dragon!" She said. Then, her face turned to a bright shade of red as she realized how childish must have sounded. She decided that her cake was indeed very delicious and that maybe se should spend more time savoring the flavor.   
  
Haku considered. "A dragon." He certainly didn't sound like he was mocking her, but she didn't know him very well either. Maybe he wanted to see just how far she would take the childish fantasy. "And why? They need space, they are dangerous, and they are cold blooded stubborn proud things."   
  
"They are not!" Chihiro yelled as she stood up and slapped her hand on the table. Quietly, she sat back down again as she realized that some people were staring at her outburst. "They are sweet and nice and soft to the touch. Besides, they are powerful, but they have sweet dispositions."   
  
"Well," Haku mused. "I wonder which kind of fantasy books you have read... Maybe they make everything nice and cute for the girls' books because they can't handle blood."   
  
"I know because I..." Chihiro paused. Nobody would believe her even if she told anybody, but she wouldn't. It was a little dream memory that she would not let anybody else trample on. Her parents defying it was bad enough, but now she knew it was true, she was not about to give it up again. "...know."   
  
"So, you like them because they would give you a sense of security?"   
  
That's a nice way to put it. Another smile was creeping up on her. She nodded.   
  
Haku stopped eating his food and walked over to her. He held his hand out to her as he looked into her eyes. "Would you mind if I was your dragon?"   
  
Chihiro held her breath for that second of his short speech. First, she felt a wave of happiness. She knew that she would feel so comfortable and safe with Haku. But then she remembered her Haku, the Haku that really was a dragon. She looked back at this Haku.   
  
"I'm sorry, but I will never be able think of you as my dragon." She hoped he would understand.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: I think someone wanted me to make the two Hakus meet. I will, but it's going to be more like a parody and not a part of the main story, because I will make my first attempt at writing something that is not really serious. ^^ I hope you will like it.   
  
And to the one who really didn't like my story (you know who you are, but I don't know why you would be reading this), Japanese do not have L's... they pronounce R's like L's and "Li" is his last name when it was translated to English... and it was translated base off of Chinese, and that's the way Chinese's spell it. Also, I like the kind of waiting romance (and that's why I'm writing this... duh!). If you like some other kind story, go read that... Besides, if you read on a little, then you might've found out that somebody just **might** be interested in her. Ayame is a girl's name. ^^ I checked on that myself with my Japanese teacher. So, I hope you are not going to argue with her. Although, Ayane might also be a girl's name, but that is a separate issue.   
  
To those that actually enjoyed my fic. Thnx. ^^ 
  



	9. Dancing Hearts

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Dancing Hearts

  
  
Haku got up and walked to his seat again, calmly, gracefully.   
  
Chihiro saw the look within Haku's eyes. It told her that he almost expected her answer, almost wanted to hear her say no, but he wanted to hear her say yes too. And there was a glint of her Haku in his eyes, of the softness within him that could not flow out.   
  
"Why not? What is wrong with me?" The Haku in front of her asked. His voice possessed a little... startling aggressiveness, and yet, he didn't ask as a demand. The aggressiveness was from plain curiosity.   
  
"Because..." Chihiro felt compelled to answer. She considered him one of her more important friends. And she knew she needed to force the answer out of herself, she needed to convince herself of why she was so stubborn about not getting a boyfriend. She took a deep inhalation. "Because I already love somebody."   
  
"Who? A childhood friend before you moved here? Because your friends told me you were... available," he informed her, and pausing just before the word available, as if it somehow made her available.   
  
Chihiro made a mental note to talk with her friends about it. She nodded. There was nothing wrong with a childhood friend. "And we promised to meet again." Chihiro felt comfortable with this Haku, but his recent interrogations were pushing her a bit.   
  
He waited.   
  
She took on a far away look and continued. She would feel better if talked with somebody who believed it, and if he didn't, he would just know what a foolish little girl she was. "And he promised to find me, to meet me. So I'm waiting here for him." Chihiro hurried on before he spoke again. "And, you look... just like him... And the day before you moved here, I saw him... but it was... so long. And I couldn't simply... walk up there and say hi to him."   
  
By then, Chihiro had already broken down into a trembling shoulder and inaudible sobs. The memory, the dream was scattered into pieces, as if telling it to him had made the memory into a story, officially.   
  
She straightened herself back out after sitting up, and hastily tried to rearrange her disheveled hair. Then, a loud sigh slipped from her mouth as her shoulder sagged down again.   
  
She continued, since he obviously didn't have much to say. "And being with you has been like being with him, except I think you are calmer, but you radiate the same... warmth. I'm sorry... but, you are not him..."   
  
Chihiro was out of things to say. There was no more explanation for Haku as to why she even thought about engaging herself in such a relationship. Instead of talking, she waited tentatively to see Haku's reactions.   
  
"So, you are still in love with this childhood friend of yours?"   
  
Chihiro faltered a little. Was she truly in love with somebody that never kept his promise? Or was she simply in love with a memory? And why is this Haku prodding her memories so much?   
  
Chihiro reprimanded herself slightly. After all, it was her that led him on. She was going to tell the truth, even if it would hurt both of them. "Yes, I am still in love with him, and so I cannot be in love with you."   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
Haku only walked over to Chihiro, again with that softness flowing in his eyes, a softness almost identical to the one in the dragon. And he caught her in a tight embrace, like he wanted to cry himself.   
  
Chihiro felt comfortable being held Haku, the modern Haku, and she felt guilty for feeling comfortable. But she still snuggled into into his embrace.   
  
And they lingered there, in the embrace, in the cafe, for a second before Haku pulled out from the embrace abruptly just after whispering in her ear, "I am Kohaku."   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
And she could only stare at him in disbelief. She didn't know if she was going to pose the question to him, or how she would ask him. She considered for a moment.   
  
Haku looked at the floor, the only sign that he was nervous, jittery, unsure of what he was doing. "Yes, I am the Haku." He grinned ruefully at the article placed before his own name. Then, he smiled at the way he found himself describing himself next. "The 'original' from Arubaya."   
  
Ecstatic, they engaged in another embrace, with tears of joy on Chihiro's cheeks.   
  
Slowly, Chihiro pulled out again. She asked, "So, why now?"   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: Sorry, but the chap where the two Hakus meet has been postponed indefinitely due to my lack of writing skills... 
  



	10. Back Again to the End of Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakumeshi (aka Spirited Away). And I do not have any money. This fan fiction is for the sole purpose of putting my idea(s) out into the public and sharing them with those who are interested. I am not making money off of this fan fiction.  
  
But this fan fiction still belongs to me.  
  


Out the Window and Through the Tunnel   
  
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  


Back Again to the End of Beginnings

  
  
Chihiro exited the cafe with Haku after Haku paid the bill. He said that it was a 'compensation' for shocking her, and she complied quietly. If this Haku was really her Haku, she would be happy, and relieved, maybe even ecstatic... but she would be upset too. Why would he make her think that he was a different person for such a long time? She didn't even want to think about the possibilities.   
  
She could feel him being nervous about telling, as if their relationship was merely a bond of curiosity, and that once the secrets were exposed, they wouldn't need to be near each other anymore. She sighed in her mind. They were at least friends, if nothing more.   
  
She felt him grab her wrist, firmly, and noticed that she was walking faster because of thoughts and he was walking slower because of his. Unsure of what to do, she stopped and waited for him to catch up, and made sure to follow his slower pace after that.   
  
"I want to start at the beginning," he spoke, abruptly.   
  
Chihiro merely nodded at his back, which had stopped moving. She took it as a prompt for her to stop too.   
  
He took a deep inhalation before speaking again. When he did, he turned around to look into Chihiro's eyes, silently pleading for her to understand. "Magic is the power of belief. And when humans started science, most lost faith in spirits. We could not live with those who do not believe that we exist. So, we created our own world where we knew and believed in each other.   
  
"Your parents never remembered any of the happenings in the spirit world, because they don't believe that such a world exists, but you were able to survive because you believed that we could exist, and so you could see us and live alongside with us."   
  
Chihiro nodded in response to his pause.   
  
"The pill was fused from my spiritual powers to help you learn to draw on your spiritual powers since material things are merely a luxury for spirits. But when you came back here, your friends believed that you could exist, making your existence possible and making you strong.   
  
"So, in reality, you are stronger than me because they believe in your essence when they only believe in my appearance." Haku hurried through the last part.   
  
Chihiro gaped a little. Was this one of the reasons why Haku didn't want to tell her? Certainly, he couldn't have thought that she would mind him if he wasn't as strong. He still hadn't answered her question yet. "So, why did you come now, and not tell me that it was you?"   
  
He spoke softly. "Chihiro, I'm here because you willed it possible for me to be here. 'Magic' is merely use of spiritual power. And... I wasn't sure that it was you, or that you wanted me to be here. So, I had to... make sure of your intentions."   
  
Chihiro knew that she should be mad, or upset over his distrust in her. But she did almost fall for the other Haku - well, the Haku she thought that wasn't Haku. Mentally, she sighed, she knew what she meant well enough even if it wasn't put into words.   
  
Suddenly, she brightened again as she ran up to him and grabbed his hand. "But that means you can stay here with me, right? Because of this power I have of wishing."   
  
He looked at her seriously before he broke into a smile and a nod.   
  
Then, they ran off together, toward their homes, hand in hand, and happy because of 'now', and because of 'eternity'. He could stay. She could stay.   
  


¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ **END** ¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ 

  
  
a/n: This concludes the story. I'm so happy I actually finished my first fanfic. ^^ Yay for me and thanks for everybody that read and reviewed. I really appreciated it. Now I'm gonna revise the story, hopefully.  
  
I am definitively writing an angsty alternative ending for this story... as a replacement for the last chapter.  And hopefully an alternative for 9 and 10 where the Hakus aren't the same.  

  
  



End file.
